Plastic Bag Association takes Victoria to court once again over single-use bag ban

The Canadian Plastic Bag Association (CPBA) is challenging the City of Victoria at the provincial courts on Wednesday.

In June 2018 the B.C. Supreme Court ruled in favour of the City of Victoria, and dismissed a legal challenge by the CPBA against the city’s Checkout Bag Regulation Bylaw. As a result, single-use plastic bags were banned in the city starting July 1, 2018.

The association had claimed the ban would “significantly impact” its members who manufacture and supply bags for the Victoria market, and began lobbying against the move in January 2018.

Court documents show that the hearing is set to address whether the city actually has the authority to adopt a bylaw that prohibits businesses from providing plastic bags to customers, and requires them to charge a fee for paper and reusable bags.